SiteSorted
Demolition · United Kingdom

Method statement for non-licensed asbestos removal

By SiteSortedBuilt from HSE guidance and CDM 2015 · How we write and check theseUpdated

You must assess the risks of non-licensed asbestos removal and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

RAMS cover the hazards, who could be harmed and how, the controls and the safe sequence of work, and the crew is briefed and signs. The main hazards are falling from a roof edge, disturbing asbestos, electric shock from live wiring and falling through a fragile roof or skylight.

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RAMS example: non-licensed asbestos removal

This is a complete RAMS for non-licensed asbestos removal, with 10 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS)
Non-licensed asbestos removal (asbestos cement) · Demolition · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Confirm the work is non-licensed. If it is notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW), notify HSE (HSENI in Northern Ireland) before starting and keep health records
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Public entering the work area
Workers, Occupants, Public, ChildrenVery high (15)
  • Before work on any building built before 2000, check the refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey for the work area (HSE HSG264). If there is none, presume asbestos is present or have it sampled before you start. Eliminate
  • Seal off the work area and keep everyone else out. Isolate
  • If asbestos must be disturbed, keep it wet, use hand tools not power tools, and clean up with an H-class vacuum. Control (engineering)
  • Most asbestos insulation, coatings and insulating board need a licensed contractor. Notifiable non-licensed work is notified to HSE before it starts. Other work needs trained workers and controls. Control (procedures)
  • Stop work straight away if you find suspect asbestos. Do not touch it and tell your supervisor. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a fit-tested FFP3 mask (or better) and disposable type 5 coveralls. PPE
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate
  • Public entering the work area: see step 2 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
2Set up the work area with barriers, signs and plastic sheeting, and close nearby windows
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Public entering the work area
Workers, Occupants, Public, ChildrenVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate
  • Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Control (engineering)
  • Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Control (procedures)
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Control (procedures)
  • Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
3Set up a decontamination point and put on disposable coveralls and a fitted respirator
  • Disturbing asbestos
Workers, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
4Have a licensed electrician isolate and disconnect power to anything fixed to the sheets, and check where the service line is attached
  • Electric shock from live wiring
Workers, OccupantsVery high (15)
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Eliminate
  • Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate
  • Prove dead at the point of work with an approved voltage indicator (GS38), and prove the tester before and after. Control (engineering)
  • Only competent, qualified electricians do electrical work, following a safe isolation procedure. Control (procedures)
  • Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Control (procedures)
  • If live work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools. Control (procedures)
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE
Medium (5)
5Use fall protection when removing from roofs, as sheets are fragile
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight
  • Falling from a roof edge
Workers, People belowVery high (20)
  • Work from underneath or from a MEWP so nobody stands on the fragile roof. Eliminate
  • Cover or guard every skylight and fragile sheet with a fixed, marked cover or mesh before work starts. Isolate
  • Use safety nets or a boarded platform under the work, and staging or crawl boards to spread the load on fragile surfaces. Control (engineering)
  • Use fall arrest on rated anchors when working near fragile areas. Control (engineering)
  • Treat all roof sheets as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not. Old fibre cement and plastic sheets are fragile. Control (procedures)
  • Put "Fragile roof" signs at every roof access point. Control (procedures)
  • Never walk on sheets between purlins or along skylights. Stay on boards or staging. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a full body harness clipped to a rated anchor. PPE
  • Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Eliminate
  • Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Isolate
  • Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Control (engineering)
  • Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Control (engineering)
  • Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Control (procedures)
  • Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE
Medium (5)
6Wet the sheets and undo fixings by hand, removing sheets whole with no power tools or breaking
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Heat stress
Workers, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate
  • Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Reduce / substitute
  • Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or plant instead of carrying by hand. Control (engineering)
  • Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Control (procedures)
  • Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Control (procedures)
  • Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Eliminate
  • Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in roof spaces. Control (engineering)
  • Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Control (procedures)
  • Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Control (procedures)
  • Let new and returning workers build up to full work in the heat over about a week. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
7Lower sheets carefully; never drop or slide them
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Falling tools and materials
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
Workers, Occupants, Public, People belowVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Control (engineering)
  • Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Control (engineering)
  • Tether hand tools when working at height. Control (engineering)
  • Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Control (procedures)
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 6 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
8Wrap sheets in heavy plastic, label as asbestos waste and take to an approved disposal site
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Workers, Occupants, Public, VisitorsVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate
  • Put skips and waste chutes close to the work. Control (engineering)
  • Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Control (procedures)
  • Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Control (procedures)
  • Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Control (procedures)
  • Use a registered waste carrier and keep waste transfer notes for at least 2 years. Keep hazardous waste such as asbestos separate, with consignment notes (special waste in Scotland). Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Medium (5)
9Clean up with an H-class vacuum and wet wipes, then decontaminate
  • Disturbing asbestos
Workers, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
10Do a thorough visual check that no debris is left, and record it before others enter
  • Disturbing asbestos
Workers, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Disturbing asbestos: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (5)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Confirm the work is non-licensed. If it is notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW), notify HSE (HSENI in Northern Ireland) before starting and keep health records
  2. Set up the work area with barriers, signs and plastic sheeting, and close nearby windows
  3. Set up a decontamination point and put on disposable coveralls and a fitted respirator
  4. Have a licensed electrician isolate and disconnect power to anything fixed to the sheets, and check where the service line is attached
  5. Use fall protection when removing from roofs, as sheets are fragile
  6. Wet the sheets and undo fixings by hand, removing sheets whole with no power tools or breaking
  7. Lower sheets carefully; never drop or slide them
  8. Wrap sheets in heavy plastic, label as asbestos waste and take to an approved disposal site
  9. Clean up with an H-class vacuum and wet wipes, then decontaminate
  10. Do a thorough visual check that no debris is left, and record it before others enter

PPE

Half-mask respirator (P3 filters)CoverallsChemical-resistant glovesSafety bootsSafety glassesRigger glovesHi-vis vestFull body harness and lanyardSafety helmetSun protection (sunscreen and neck cover)

Plant and equipment

Hand toolsH-class dust extractorExtension ladderTrailer

Permits and plans

Asbestos plan of workRoof access permitWork at height permit

Emergency

Call 999. Add the nearest A&E, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this RAMS.

Free RAMS template for non-licensed asbestos removal

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this RAMS

Pre-start checklist for non-licensed asbestos removal

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

The safe sequence of work

  1. Confirm the work is non-licensed. If it is notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW), notify HSE (HSENI in Northern Ireland) before starting and keep health records
  2. Set up the work area with barriers, signs and plastic sheeting, and close nearby windows
  3. Set up a decontamination point and put on disposable coveralls and a fitted respirator
  4. Have a licensed electrician isolate and disconnect power to anything fixed to the sheets, and check where the service line is attached
  5. Use fall protection when removing from roofs, as sheets are fragile
  6. Wet the sheets and undo fixings by hand, removing sheets whole with no power tools or breaking
  7. Lower sheets carefully; never drop or slide them
  8. Wrap sheets in heavy plastic, label as asbestos waste and take to an approved disposal site
  9. Clean up with an H-class vacuum and wet wipes, then decontaminate
  10. Do a thorough visual check that no debris is left, and record it before others enter

Hazards to watch on non-licensed asbestos removal

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 5Falling through a fragile roof or skylightA worker steps on a skylight, clear sheet or old fibre cement roof and falls through to the floor below.
Step 5Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.
Step 6Heat stressHard work in hot weather or hot roof spaces causes heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can kill.
Step 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10Disturbing asbestosBuildings built before 2000 may contain asbestos. Drilling, cutting or breaking it releases fibres that cause cancer years later.
Step 7Falling tools and materialsTools, materials or debris fall from above and hit someone working or walking below.
Step 1, 2Public entering the work areaMembers of the public, including children, walk into the site and are hit by plant or falling objects, or fall into holes.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on non-licensed asbestos removal: Very high before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United Kingdom 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and fatal becomes unlikely and major injury).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

  • Will anyone work at height, anywhere a fall could hurt them?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?
  • Will you use a MEWP (scissor lift or cherry picker)?

Why RAMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • The method statement is only a list of headings that repeats the risk table and never says how the work is done.
  • The method sequence does not match the risk assessment, for example the method strips the roof before the scaffold is handed over.
  • Residual risk is still High after controls with no extra measures or explanation.
  • It reads as copied: another firm, another address, or wording that does not fit UK sites. HSE warns that copying an example and adding your name does not satisfy the law.
  • Work on an older building with no reference to an asbestos survey.
  • Plant and access equipment listed with no inspection, thorough examination or competence evidence.
  • No briefing record, no revision history, or no named supervisor.

Questions

Do I need RAMS for non-licensed asbestos removal?

You must assess the risks of non-licensed asbestos removal and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

Who signs the RAMS?

The person who wrote it and the person who approved it sign and date it. Every worker signs the briefing register after it is explained to them, and the principal contractor reviews and accepts it before you start.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this RAMS, every revision and the signed briefing register with the site file for the length of the job, and keep a copy in your records afterwards.

What PPE is needed for non-licensed asbestos removal?

Usually Half-mask respirator (P3 filters), Coveralls, Chemical-resistant gloves, Safety boots, Safety glasses, Rigger gloves, Hi-vis vest, Full body harness and lanyard, Safety helmet, Sun protection (sunscreen and neck cover). The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More demolition RAMS

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Related jobs in other trades

RoofingRe-RoofingAlso involves disturbing asbestosElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves public entering the work areaBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves falling tools and materials

Toolbox talks for this job

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Blank RAMS template: free RAMS templates. Also for other countries: Australia (SWMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)

Sources